In Windows XP when an application that doesn't currently have the focus wants to attract the user's attention its Taskbar item blinks. Often it blinks 3 times and then stops, which is fine. However, sometimes it just keeps blinking forever. An example of that is Firefox with a new JavaScript confirmation dialog. This is really annoying if I don't want to switch to that application just now - I basically cannot focus on anything else because of this stupid blinking thing distracting me! How do I force all apps to blink only 3 times (or X times) and then stop?
2 Answers
You can accomplish this with Tweak UI, part of Microsoft's PowerToys for Windows XP.
Download and install Tweak UI (or click here for the 64-bit version), and fire it up. Expand the General section, and click on Focus. Check the "Prevent applications from stealing focus" checkbox, and then click on "Flash taskbar button X times" (where you can set the number of times it flashes).
The default value is 3 - or at least on my computer it is :)
Here's a picture to show you exactly what I mean:
-
Thanks, but it looks like there's no Tweak UI for XP x64 (only 32-bit and IA64). I suspect it modifies the same registry entry Molly mentioned, which is already set to 3.– EMPSep 18, 2009 at 1:21
-
No, you linked to the 32-bit version, which is good, but I'm running XP x64 and there seems to be no TweakUI for that at all!– EMPSep 18, 2009 at 1:35
-
Dude, softpedia.com/get/Tweak/System-Tweak/… works on 64-bit computers. It's what I used on my downstairs PC. Sep 18, 2009 at 1:44
-
Ah, thanks, the second link does work for me. Unfortunately, that setting is already set to "3 times" as in your screenshot.– EMPSep 18, 2009 at 2:01
Start > Run > type REGEDIT and click OK.
Navigate to the following key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
Create or modify the DWORD value ForegroundFlashCount and set the value to 3.
-
-
1change it to 1– Molly7244Sep 18, 2009 at 1:44
-
-
-
1zero keeps 'em flashing indefinetely.– Molly7244Sep 18, 2009 at 9:51